The Sustainability Office at Bemidji State University and the Bemidji Sustainability Committee invite the community to join them in celebrating Bemidji’s membership in Minnesota’s GreenStep Cities program.

The public celebration will be held at Brigid’s Pub, located at 317 Beltrami Ave. in downtown Bemidji, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. The event will feature a presentation by Bemidji Mayor Rita Albrecht and live entertainment from local favorite band The Seasonals. There also will be a presentation about ongoing community projects that promote sustainability.

The GreenStep Cities program is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality of life goals. Cities pursuing these goals can achieve a rating in one of three steps; Bemidji became a Step 2 city in June 2013. There are 59 cities in Minnesota participating in the GreenStep Cities program; Bemidji is one of 24 Step 2 cities, and 11 have achieved the highest Step 3 designation.

“This event will celebrate Bemidji’s designation as a Minnesota GreenSteps city and help us thank the people who have played a vital role in our movement to become a more resilient community,” said Sara Dennison, a Minnesota GreenCorps member housed in BSU’s Sustainability Office. “We’re excited to be participating in the GreenSteps program along side so many other great Minnesota cities.”

About Minnesota GreenStep Cities
Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a voluntary challenge, assistance and recognition program to help cities achieve their sustainability and quality-of-life goals. This free continuous improvement program, managed by a public-private partnership, is based upon 28 best practices. Each best practice can be implemented by completing one or more actions at a 1, 2 or 3-star level, from a list of four to eight actions. These actions are tailored to all Minnesota cities, focus on cost savings and energy use reduction, and encourage civic innovation.

Minnesota GreenStep Cities is a partnership between the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the League of Minnesota Cities, Clean Energy Resource Teams, the Great Plains Institute, the Izaak Walton League, the Urban Land Institute of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Division of Energy Reources.